High-speed lifting-jack



F. L. GORMLEY. HIGH SPEED unmc JACK. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-J0. 1920;1,376 869. Patented May 3, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

fi wentor: Frank L. Gormlcy,

F. L. GORMLEY.

HIGH SPEED LIFTING JACK.

APPLICATION nun SEPT. l 0. 1920.

Patented May 3, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Lwnlor: .FranhLfiormlqy,

Patented May 3, 1921.

s SHEETS-SHEET a.

NM a w w 1 m w FRANK L.

GORMLEY, or BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, assrenoa TO A. o'uoaTOn,

INC OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

HIGH-SPEED LIFTING-JACK.

jacks known as self-run-down jacks adapted to be lowered under theweight of the load and in which the speed of lowering may be retarded bya suitable brake mechanism under the control of the operator.

The object of the present invention is the production of a self-rundownlifting jack in which the operating and braking mechanism are allpositioned in the base of the jack.

The invention consists primarily in a rew oluble lifting screw providedwith a gear cured to the lower end thereof and a main operatingmechanism for lifting the load coacting with said gear and a holding andbraking mechanism also coacting with said gear and adapted to beactuated only during the lowering operation.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of constructionand arrange ment of parts which will be understood readily by referenceto the description of the drawings and to the claimsto be hereinafterven. For the purpose-0f illustrating the inven tion, one preferred formthereof is illus trated in the drawings, this form having been found togivesatisfactory and reliable results although it is to be understoodthat the various instrumentalities of which the V invention consistscanb'e variously arranged and organized and the invention is not limitedto the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalitiesas herein shown and described, except as required by the scope of theappended claims.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of i a liftingjack embodying theprinciples of the present invention.

Fig. 2represents an elevation of the inner- Specification of LettersPatent. 7 Patented Ma 3 1921 Application filed September 10, 1920.Serial No. 409,420.

side of the plate carrying the retarding mechanisms, the driving shaftbeing shown insection.

F 1g. 3'represents a horizontal section of the same on l1ne 3, 3, onFig.2.

Fig-V 4 lQ S ents an elevation of the re tarding and. brakingmechanisms, portions thereof being shown in section, and

Fig. 5 represents an elevation of a por- ,tion of the jack showing thelever for actuatng the brake mechanism.

Similar characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures ofthe drawings.

In the drawings, 10 is a base having extending upwardlytherefrom acentrally disposed cylindrical projection 11 to which is threaded thelower end of a casing 12.

This casing 12is provided withrectangular lateral flanges 13 and letpreferablyopposite each other as indicated in Fig. 1. 7

These flanged openings give access to the interior of the casing 12 andare normally closed by plates 15 and 16 respectively.

The upper end of casing 12 has a vertical cyllndrical portion 17 theinterior wall 13 at the upper end of which forms a bearing surface for amovable member or-rarn 19.

The upper end of the ram 19 has a serrated surface 20 adapted: tocontact with the load to be lifted and the lower end/of said ram 1sprovided with a nut 21 secured from turning therein by the members 22.

The nut 21 co'acts with a revoluble screw 23 the pitch of the threadof'which is such as to permit said screw to be turned when phednut 21 isforced downwardly underthe The lower end 23 of the screw 23 has abearing in a plate 2 1 resting in. a recessin the projection 11, saidplate 2 1 having in its upper face an annular track 25 for a plu-.rality of balls or other anti-friction members 26.; V

These balls extend into an annular track 27 formed in the under side ofa plate 28 surrounding the hub of a bevel gear 29 keyed to the lower end23 of'the screw 23.

When the screw 23 is rotated by the gear 29, the revolution thereof willcause the nut 21 and ram 19 to move upwardlyto lift the V load and whenunder the weight of the load the ram 19 and nut 21 is moved downwardly.This downward movement of the nut will cause the rotation of the screw23.

The ram 19 is free to rotate when it is not supporting a load and itsupper end is provided with a plurality of radial depressions ingmechanism is removed therewith.

This lifting mechanism consists of a bevel pinion 31 meshing with thebevel gear 29,

said pinion 31 having keyed thereto a spur gear 32 and being providedwith cylindrical axial-hubs 33 and 34;

The hub 33 is mounted in a bearing 35 in the plate 15 and the hub 34 ismounted in a bearin in a bracket 35 secured to the inner face of theplate 15 in any well-lmown manner.

The gear 32 meshes with a pinion 36 on the main operating shaft 37 saidshaft being adapted to rotate in a bearing 38 in the plate 15 and abearing 39 in a bracket 40 secured to the inner face of the plate 15 inany usual manner. a

On the outer end of the shaft 37 is mounted a usual form of operatingdevice 41 but as this operating device forms no part of the presentinvention, it is believed to be unnecessary to describe the same indetail.

By actuating the operating device 41 rotary movement will be imparted tothe gears 36, 32, and 31 which rotary movement will be transmitted tothe gear 29 and screw 23 and the lifting of the load will be effected.

When the load is to be lowered under its own weight, the actuatingdevice is placed in neutral position thus permitting the gears 29, 31,32 and 36 to freely rotate.

The jack is provided with a retarding mechanism which is entirelysupported on the removable side plate '16 and which may be removedtherewith.

The retarding mechanism is connectedto the gear 29 of the screw 23 bymeans of a bevel pinion 42 having a hub 43 revolubly 'mounted in a gland44 fixedly secured in" the plate 16.

Keyed to the hub 43 is a ratchet wheel 45, the teeth of which, duringthe lowering operation, are adapted to be engaged by pawls 46 carried byaspur gear 47 freely rotatable about the axis of the gland 43.

The teeth of gear 47 mesh with those .of

. ing lever 7 0.

other direction by the a pinion 48 revolubly mounted in bearings 49, 49and having threaded or otherwise secured thereto a spur gear 50 whichmeshes with a worm 51.

The thread of the worm 51 is of such a pitch that the worm will berotated by the rotation of the gear 50.

V The worm 51 is formed upon a shaft 52 revoluble in bearings 53 in abracket 54 secured to the inner face of the plate 16.

Extending from one end of the shaft 52 is a reduced shank 55 to which isthreaded or otherwise secured the gear 56, the teeth of which mesh withthose of a pinion 57 secured to one end of a shaft 58 parallel with theworm shaft 52 and freely revoluble in a bearing in the bracket54. i

The opposite end of the shaft 58 has secured thereto a gear 59, theteeth of which mesh with those of a pinion 60 freely revoluble about asleeve 61 threaded or otherwise secured to the reduced end 62 of theshaft 52. V

The hub of the pinion 60 has secured thereto a brake wheel 63 whichrotates at a speed considerably greater than the speed of rotation ofthe worm 51.

'As a consequence of the high speed of the brake wheel 63 as comparedwith the speed of rotation of the main screw 23, it is obvious thatslight frictional contactwith the brake wheel 63 will effectually retardthe rotation of the screw 23 and thereby contol the lowering of theload.

Moreover, the extended train of reduction gearing betweenthe screw 23and the brake wheel 63 is suflicient to retard materially by itsinertia, the. speed of descent of the movable member of the jack.

The bracket 54 has pivoted thereto at 64,-

the brake arms 65 which partially surround the periphery of the brakewheel 63 and are normally held in contact therewith by the springs 66.interposed between fixed members and the free ends67 of the brake arms65. Between the free ends 67 of the brake arms 65 is interposed acam-member 68 having fiat sides as shown in Fig. 4.

This member 68 is revoluble about the stud 69 and on its outer end hasan aetuat- The movement of the lever 70 is limited 7 in one direction bythe pin 71 and in the guard flange 72 formed upon the plate 16.

When the brake arms 65 are in contact with the wheel 63, as shown inFig. 4, the

load will be retained'in raised position but when these arms are movedfrom contact .with said wheel, the jack will rundown under the load.

The speed of this loweringmay be controlled by the operator manipulatingthe ance of the usual lifting jacks is avoided and a jack producedhaving a greater degree of stability.

By providing the main screw with a lifting mechanism on one side thereofand a speed controlling mechanism diametrically opposite the liftingmechanism, a perfectly balanced jack is obtained.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the inventionwill be under-v stood readily without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a lifting jack, thebase; a standard superimposed thereon; a movable member therein; a nutin the lower end thereof; a lifting screw in said nut; a gear secured tothe lower end of said lifting screw; two pinions meshing with said gear;a lifting mechanism adapted to rotate one of said pinions; a brakemechanism and means controlling the operation of said brake mechanismadapted to be actuated by the other pinion. V

2. In a lifting jack a base; a standard superimposed thereon; a movablemember therein; a nut in the lower end thereof; a lifting screw in saidnut; a gear secured to the lower end of said lifting screw; two pinionsmeshing with said gear; a lifting mechanism; means operable by saidlifting mechanism adapted to rotate one of said pinions; a brakemechanism; and a one-way driving connection between said brake mechanismand the other pinion whereby said brake mechanism will be placed incommission only during the lowering operation.

3. In a lifting jack, a base; a standard superimposed thereon; a movablemember therein; a nut in the lower end thereof; a lifting screw in saidnut; a plate in the base having a smooth cylindrical bearing for thelower end of said screw; a gear secured to the lower end of said liftingscrew; two pinions meshing with said gear; a lifting mechanism; meansoperable by said liftlng mechanism adapted to rotate one of saidpinions; abrake mechanism and means controlling the operation of saidbrake. mechanism adapted to be actuated by the other pinion.

4. In a lifting jack, a base; a standard threaded to and extendingupwardly therefrom; a vertically movable member in said standard; a nutin the lower end thereof; a 'llfting screw in said nut; a brakingmechanism coacting with the lower end of said screw, and a liftingmechanism independent of said braking mechanism also coacting with thelower endof said screw.

5. In a lifting jack, a base; a standard secured thereto and extendingupwardly therefrom; a vertically movable member in said standard freelyrevoluble in said standard when not surmountedby a load; a nut in thelower end thereof; a lifting screw in said nut; a braking mechanism.coacting with the lower end ofsaid screw and a lifting mechanismindependent of said braking mechanism also coacting with the lower endof said screw.

6. In a lifting'jack, a base; a standard extending upwardly therefromand having diametrically opposed lateralzopenings therein; a movablemember in said stand ard; a nut in the lower end thereof; a lift ingscrew in said nut; a gear secured to the lower end of said liftingscrew; a removable plate for each lateral opening; a lifting mechanismmounted on one plate including a pinion adapted to mesh with said gear;and a braking mechanism on the other plate including a pinion adapted tomesh with said ear.

7. n a lifting jack; a base; a standard extending upwardly therefromhaving a lateral opening; a member movable vertically in said standard;a nut in the lower end thereof; a liftin screw in said nut; a bevel gearsecured to the lower end of said screw; a removable plate for saidlateral opening; a bevel pinion rotatably mounted in said plate andadaptedto mesh with said gear; a spur gear revoluble with said bevelpinion; and an operating mechanism also mounted on saidplate andincluding a revoluble pinion meshing with said spur gear.

8. In a-lifting jack, a base; a standard extending upwardly therefromhaving a lateral opening; a member movable vertically in said standard;a nut in the lower end thereof; a lifting screw in said nut; a bevelvgear secured to the lower end of said screw;

a removable plate for said lateral opening; a bevel pinion rotatablymounted in said plate and adapted to mesh with said gear;

a braking mechanism mounted on said plate; means actuated by said bevelpinion for operating the braking mechanism only during the loweringoperation; and means independent of said braking mechanism actuatingdevices for rotating said screw gear.

9. In a lifting jack, a base; a standard extending upwardly therefromhaving a lateral opening; a member movable vertically in said standard;a nut in the lower end thereof; a liftin screw in said nut; a bevel gearsecured to t e lower end of said screw; a removable plate for saidlateral opening; a bevel pinion rotatably mounted in said plate andadapted to mesh with said gear; a brake wheel mounted for rotation onsaid actuating devices for rotating said screw ear. b 10. In a liftingjack, a base; a standard extending upwardly therefrom having a lat eralopening; a member movable vertically in said standard; a nut in thelower end thereof; a lifting screw in said nut; a bevel gear secured tothe lower end of said screw; a removable plate for said lateral opening;a bevel pinion rotatably mounted in said plate and adapted to mesh withsaid gear; a

brake" wheel mounted for. rotation on said plate; a drlving ear foractuating said brake wheel; a rate et wheel secured to and revolublewith said bevel pinion; a plurality 20 01E pawls carried by sald spurgear and co- Boston, Mass, this 1st day of September, 1920. FRANK L.GORMLEY. WVitnesses:

WALTER E. LoMBARD', NATHAN C. LOMBARD.

